MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

5/7 Back to back jacks

Bryan LaHair and Ian Stewart hit back to back home runs in the fourth inning Monday, the first time the Cubs have done so since their previous corner infielders, Aramis Ramirez and Carlos Pena, did last Aug. 11. It was LaHair’s eighth of the season and Stewart’s third.

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So glad to see LaHair getting the chance in the majors now!!! Really pulling for him.

Would love to someday see as starters for the Cubs: LaHair, Rizzo, Clevenger, Castro, Cardenas, Barney, Jackson and Campana. For some reason, I don’t see Stewart in the Cubs’ future plans but I can see moving either Castro or Cardenas (if he becomes the player they think he can) to 3rd.

Also, what does Scott Maine need to do to stay up in the majors? His ERA was microscopic and he struck out 10 in 5 innings. You may laugh but I can see Scott Maine becoming a closer for the Cubs. He has all the materials. Before you laugh, look at his lifetime stats and his strikeouts per innings and see if you still laugh.

I’m not laughing. I’m all for letting Maine duke it out with Dolis who also seems to be in the running for humina, humina Closer Of The Future. The only laughing is when Sveum brings out Marmol in close games when he should be in AAA figuring out how to correct his stuff.

idk but Russell is pitching fantastic in the closer role…. why mess with that? Dolis, Maine, and Russell look like a pretty good combo right now… throw in Parker and the future looks bright for the bullpen (right now at least)… I will say I am excited about Cardenas and really want him to be the 3B of the future but he hasn’t ever hit for enough power to fit well at 3B. I would guess that Cardenas is up to see if he has more value over Barney. You throw a .280ish .350OBP at 2B ahead of Castro, Lahair, and eventually Rizzo and you got yourself some run production.

Well if Cardenas hits lights out WITHOUT power he may still be an option at 3B considering Stewart’s anemic (yet, signs of improving) batting average and HIS lack of power. I mean, after all, for a power position you would expect a few more than 3 homers this far into the season. Can’t imagine a Third Baseman, First Baseman or LEFT FIELDER counted on for some power and RBI’s to have just 3 homers or less or even worse NONE…just can’t imagine…I guess some guys are just uh…uh…streaky! You know, 2 weeks without a homer but THEN oh…another two weeks without a homer BUT THEN oh…another two weeks without a homer BUT…when that streak hits LOOK OUT! You know I’m talking about Sor…. Pujols!!

I know he’s no Bob Brenly, the know all, end all athourity on the greatly improved RBI machine Soriano. But Paul Sullivan bless his little ol’ just a major newspaper baseball writer heart has confirmed that I am not alone in thinking Soriano should be replaced as the left fielder. Paul Sullivan! Imagine that, somebody that knows a little sumthin’ about baseball other than Bob Brenly. Sullivan writes in today’s Trib: IF THEY REALLY WANT TO SHOW FANS THEY MEAN BUSINESS, THE NEXT BIG DECISION WILL BE ADDING TRIPLE A FIRST BASEMAN ANTHONY RIZZO (OMG…wouldn’t we lose service time? ARMEGGADON!!!) TO THE LINEUP AND INSERTING BRYAN LAHAIR IN LEFT FIELD. Oh well, Sullivan and I evidently belong in the looney bin when thinking replacing Soriano is what’s called for.
Although we know Rizzo won’t be called up soon, and Soriano won’t be replaced as fast as I would like, it is nice to know a sportswriter sees the handwriting on the wall as I do. Crazy! Just chirpin’ crazy!

And once again I never said you shouldn’t replace Soriano… I said you should get off the dude’s back for improving his game and to wait till you lose service time on Rizzo… keep trying to twist my words….

Hmmm…shut my mouth…shut my mouth. Nope, just another suggestion by petrey that goes unheeded. Imagine that, not obeying King Petrey. What I am doing is stating that knowledgeable baseball professionals exist at different levels and at different stations and one such professional is Paul Sullivan. Don’t worry petrey, I’m sure your offensive “retarded” name-calling comment won’t expose your true nature. I would suggest being civil when commenting, that is if I was King…..but that position is filled evidently.

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